Turbines not the answer

WITH many cross party members calling for the Prime Minister to cut back or cease playing supplements to the wind farm turbine companies, I would like to recount a few facts from a conference I attended while serving as a district councillor.

The question was raised, by a councillor who was well versed in the matter, as to how long it takes to repay the carbon footprint of building a turbine.

The answer was five years.

The questioner asked, ‘does that mean that a turbine will produce enough electricity to repay its initial cost in five years?’

The answer eventually extricated from the turbine company, was ‘no, it takes on average seven to eight years to produce a full five year capacity’.

The fact is that turbines need to be replaced or at least, rebuilt before they cover their build and installation costs.

A little later, I asked the question why, as we were overlooking the sea at Lowestoft, were they not developing wave power.

The answer received a great round of applause. The response was: “We have not tried to develop wave power because it is not consistent.”

I do not claim that wind power is not relevant and a help in providing the electrical power we are putting more and more demands on, but it is not the salvation we are constantly told.

The money being paid to the turbine companies from our taxes is totally unjustified.